Re: 6 meter radio

[John From Detroit]

Update on the balloon/flag issue

I ran a test run on Edmund Scientific Weather ballons this week.  Sad to say they worked well, sort of.

I used 8 foot ballons, blew them up to about 4 feet (So they would last longer) had to refill them every 12 hours and they popped in about a day and a half.  Thus I'd call the expierment a failure

So much for the low cost idea, would work for Field day if I used a larger ballong and again, blew it up half way, but not for 2 weeks

Next I'm going to investigate advertising ballons.  So far Google has NOT been my friend.  I do expect these to cost more than I'm really comfortable with, but if they work as well as I hope... I'll spring for one. (Will advise) if anyone knows a company that makes them, Please, Let me know.

I still need a copy of the vector graphics file or other "larger than what' son the forum home page" graphic

Oh yes, since I'm using the balloons to hold up one end of a long wire antenna... That worked well for receive, did not talk to anyone with it, however I got my mobile antenna "tower" up (A 20 foot Sunsetter Flagpole, at least I think it's a 20, 2 sections higher than the 12 foot roof) Antennas on this include a 70cm "T" pole (Look up J pole, that is the desigh chart only use radiators off BOTH sides of the "J") a 2Mtr "T" pole and a 6Mtr Dipole.  I was listening to 52.525 MHZ with the rig and heard a voice come in very clear, Turns out Dave was about 75miles S.W. of Washington DC.  I'm about 20 miles East of West Branch Michigan (Saginaw bay area, Travers City is further east from where I was)  Not bad for 6Mtr FM, 100 watts on my end, don't yet know what he was running

 

[John From Detroit]

John, sporadic E????? Aurora??  6 meters is a great band Why not a beam?

No place to put one at this time,  I do have a six mtr dipole though and may expand it into a 2 or 3 element beam in the future

Baloon will be low bands antanna

 

[woodartist]

When the band is open, you don't need much If it is not "open," then you can't have enough antenna...as you well know. Nice band though......

 

[Snake Doctor]

sounds like a fun idea for field day, useing ballons to hold up our ant... i just got 6m in the MH so i am geting my feet wet!!!

 

[John From Detroit]

One thing I've been doing in my travels is listening to six Mtr FM,  Found a few repeaters.

Absolutely NO activity on them however. 

There is a 6mtr repter where I"m parked now... per the CD-Rom

I'm not even putting up the antenna here though.  Did put up the HF stick (25 feet of copper with a CB antenna on top, it's all antenna mast and all, has a Kenwood automatic tuner for a base.

And made my first 20 meter contact of the day (FMCA net, 14.263MHz

Of course, problem with this Kenwood TS-2000.

Back when I was a Tech, then Tech+ I had a Yeseau FT-51R (or  a Wilson WE-800) and was thus limited by hardware to frequencies that were within my license.

But when I upgraded to General last may and got the TS-2000... Well it not only covers the GENERAL portions of the band, but EXTRA as well.

So I had to fix it.  Extra class license was granted 12/27/2006 and should be waiting for me at home